Recorder of liquid level heights



Oct. 4, 1938. G. A. LocKE RECORDER OF LIQUID LEVEL HEIGHTS Filed Marchl2, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 w. o mw 2 NQ QQ /NVENTOR G. A. LOC/(E A TTOP/WIV Oct. 4, 1938. G, A, LOCKE 2,132,213

RECORDER oF LIQUID LEVEL HEIGHTS Filed March 12, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2zas l 2f( 2/1 3 lo "MIIIIHI' I //v VEN TOR G. A. LOC/(E TTOR/VE V Oct.4, 1938. G. A. LocKE RECORDER OF LIQUID LEVEL HEIGHTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed March l2, 1936 Hutu .vi keum.

o 0 o 0 DO oooo oo oooo oo 0 D 0 O OQ oooo oo if E@ @I E@ 5% j /NVENTORGIA. LOC/(E BY ATTORNEY Oct. 4, 1938. G A, LOCKE 2,132,213

RECORDER OF LIQUID LEVEL HEIGHTS Filed March l2, 1956 4 Sheets-Shet '4POWER SUPPL Y NVE/won G. A. LOC/(E A T roR/VE y Patented Oct. 4, 1938.

lPATENT OFFICE RECORDER oF LIQUID LEVEL HEIGHTS George A. Locke,Glenwood Landing, N. Y., assignor to Bell Telephone Laboratories,Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationMarch 12, 1936, Serial No. 68,378

8 Claims.

This invention relates primarily to liquid level indicators of thefloat-operated type and more particularly to means for making at aremote point a permanent record of the changes in liquid levels.

An object of the invention is to transmit in code from a reservoir ordam to a remote observing point at predetermined intervals signalimpulses corresponding to the height of the level of liquid stored inthe reservoir or similar source of liquid supply.`

Another object is to translate at the remote point the signal impulses-transmitted from the reservoir into a code effective to operate ateletypewriter.

According to the present invention there is provided a float-operatedmeasuring device wherein the oat in rising and falling with the waterlevel may cause to rotate a drum having seven rings attached coaxiallybut insulated from each other. The cylindrical surface of each ring isdivided into segments and spaces, there being on one of the rings asmany segments and spaces, alternately arranged, as there are feet orsteps of water level to be recorded. The segments and spaces of eachring der in number from the segments and spaces of the other rings.Seven aligned segments and spaces during eachA step of the drum arearranged to be simultaneously in engageable relation with sevencontactbrushes, respectively, so that for each set of aligned segments andspaces it is possible to establish by means of the `brushes one to sevencircuits depending on whether `or not the brushes are in actualengagement ,with the segments of their respective rings. Each alignment.of segments Jand spaces is capable of causing a signal of seven`impulses to,v be transmitted.k A rotary selector switchv of the typemovable in one direction only and located at the reservoir causes theimpulses `of each signal to be transmitted successively. The selectorswitch is operated in steps by a pulsating current received from thedistant observing point which current is transmitted at `predeterminedintervals depending on how frequently the waterllevel information isdesired.

'- A second rotaryselector switch which is Vlocated at the remoteobserving point and is of the same type as that atA the reservoir issimultaneously operated by the pulsating current and is effective todirect the impulses of each signal transmitted from the reservoir toseven electromagnets, respectively, at the remote point. The sevenelectromagnets in response to the impulses received from the reservoircause the measurement of the water level to be received on a meter. Themeter is of the type wherein the indicator is operated by a coilrotatable by steady currents of variable amplitudes established over acircuit having parallel, variably resistive paths 10 extending to asource of current over closed contacts of those electromagnets which areoperated by impulses of current received from the reservoir. Theindicator is arranged in operating to cause a drum at the observingpoint to rotate in either direction through any part of a completerevolution. The drum comprises fifteen rings coaxially arranged with andinsulated from each other. Each ring is divided into segments and spacessomewhat similar to the drum that is located at the reservoir. Duringeach step of ,the fifteen ring drum there are respectively arranged inengageable relation with the fifteen segments and spaces, fifteencontact brushes, or three groups of five. The five segments of eachgroup are capable of causing to be transmitted five impulses of thesignal combination for operating a teletypewriter and the three groupsare provided for furnishing the three digits of a number constituted ofunits, tens and hundreds. The three groups of five impulses each arerespectively transmitted to three groups of iive electromagnets. Certainelectromagnets of each group are operated and circuits closed by themare connected through the closed contacts of a second rotary switch atthe remote observing point. The operation of one or more electromagnetsof each group is eifected to operate the corresponding selector imagnets of a printer to thereby cause to be printed the correspondingcharacter at the printer. 'I'he stepping operation of the secondrotaryswitch allows the circuits closed by the operation of the electromagnetsof each group to cause the printing of each character of the recordednumber separately.

The objects and advantages of the invention will be better understoodfrom the following detailed description thereof when read in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings in which;

Fig. 1 shows the equipment at a reservoir or '50 a dam where the requestfor liquid level measautomatically taken and stored until changed;

Fig. l-A shows developed the surface of the cylindrical drum mounted onthe right end of the driving shaft of Fig. 1;

Fig. 1B shows a fragmentary view of a cross section taken at the sectionlines B-B in Fig. 1-A;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 show the equipment at the central oce from which therequests for liquid level measurements are automatically transmitted atregular intervals and whereat the impulses corresponding to the liquidlevel height are received and recorded on av teletypewriter;

Fig. 2-A shows a developed section of the drum which transmits therequest signals from the central cnice.' The drum is shown in the lowerleft-hand corner of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 shows developed the surface` of a cylindrical drum mounted ontheright-hand end of the shaft shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 5-A'shows a fragmentary view of crosssection at the section lineA-A in Fig. 5.

Referring to Fig. 1, a reservoir of water is shown enclosed by wall I0|,on top of which is erected a tall superstructure |02 for supporting aoat |03 and a long rack bar |04 counterbalanced by a weight |05. Therack bar is arranged to move vertically in both directions under theinuence of float |03 which rises and falls with the level of water inthe reservoir. In engageable relation with the rack bar is a pinion |06xedly mounted on one end of shaft |01.l 'For the purpose of thedescription herein, the full length oi the toothed section of r k bar|04 in moving through one hundred steps or feet is assumed to causepinion |06 to make one hundred revolutions. At the other end of shaft|01 is xedly mounted another pinion |08 which is in engageable relationwith gear |09. The ratio of the speed of rotation of pinion |08 to thatof gear |09 is assumed in this case to be 100 to 1; that is, pinion |08makes one hundred revolutions to one revolution of gear |09. Gear |09 isilxedly mounted on one end of shaft ||0. On the other end of shaft ||0is flxedly mounted an eccentric disc to which are attached two pins H2and ||3 as shown. Two coil springs and ||5 of equal size arerespectively attached to the free ends of pins ||2 and ||3. The coilsprings are connected at their free" ends to a pin ||6 which is lxedlymounted as shown on a second eccentric member ||1. The second eccentricmember |1 causes to rotate a shaft ||8 to which are fixedly andcoaxially mounted a jockey wheel I I9, astop disc |20 and a drum I2|.The drum |2| consists of seven coaxially arranged rings, each ringhaving its periphery divided into segments and spaces respectivelyreferred to herein as risers and depressionsv or high and low segments.Inasmuch as it is assumed herein that the float |03 may rise and fallthrough one hundred steps, the first ring X1 is divided intoy onehundred alternate high and low segments of equal length. The second ringX2is similarly` divided except that there are iifty alternately high andlow segments of equal length, as shown. Likewise the rings X3, X4, X5,Xs and X1 are also divided into high and low segments, as shown. Inengagement with the periphery of each ring is a spring arranged to closeand open a contact during the rotation of the drum,'the points at whichthe springs are in engagement with their respective rings forming astraight line parallel with the is a roller mounted on a support |23which is pivoted to bar |24, the jockey being held in continuousengagement with the jockey wheel by coil spring |25. Stop disc |20 has atoothed periphery which in this case contains one hundred teeth, thenumber of teeth corresponding to the steps through which iioat |03 isassumed herein to rise and fall.

The seven springs |26 which are in engagement with the seven rotatablerings X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, Xs, X7, respectively, are arranged to open andclose sending contacts |21 depending on whether the free ends of thesprings rest on high or low segments of the rings, a differentcombination of closed contacts being provided in eachA of the onehundred positions of the drum. Springs |26 are respectively connected tothe terminals of a selector switch |28, the wiper |29 of which isconnected to ground. The selector switch is of the type that has anoperating and a release magnet, the release magnet being eective torestore the wiper to normal in a single operation. The contacts |21 areconnected to a signaling line |30. A rotary magnet |3I, in response tocurrent impulses received over the control or request line |33, operatesthe selector switch |28 and a release magnet |32 in response to thecurrent received over the request line when the wiper |29 is on thetenth terminal of the switch, restores the switch to normal. A relay |34operating 1n the operating c1rcuit for release mag-t :as the wiper |29begins to operate. If any movement on the measuring device |03-406vtakes place while the drum is held locked, it will be stored up ineither of springs ||4 or ||5 depending on whether the direction of themovement is downward or upward. ,The above described mechanism thereforetranslates the position of the oat to a position of the drum and insuresthat each position of the drum is definite and that the drum cannot movewhile transmission is taking place.

For the purpose of description it has been hereinbefore assumed that theabove-described mechanism is arranged to measure height of water of onehundred feet but, as it will be hereinafter shown, the abovedescribedmechanism is not limited to one hundred steps but the number of stepsmay be more or less as desired. The essence of the system hereindescribed is that each step of foot-height of water that it is desiredto indicate will have a corresponding permutated combination of currentvand no curren impulses assigned to it. The combination Y ,may betransmitted to a central or observing point at predetermined intervals.The elements of the combination will operate electromagnetic' relays atthe observing point which will cause a meter to operate and therebycause a record of the height of water in the reservoir to be printed ona teletypewriter at predetermined intervals as will be hereinafterdescribed in detail.

In Fig. l-A, which shows developed the cylindrical surface of drum |2|,one hundred steps of Water in foot-heights are indicated by one hundredpositions on ring X1. The high and low segmentsA on the periphery ofthis ring X1 respectively close and open the outermost lefthand contact|21. Simultaneously with the in, ter-engagement of the spring |2|il or ahigh and low segment on ring X1, each of the other six springs |26 is inengagement with the high or eter and will move one quarter inch for eachmovement ci one foot of the float in upward or Gil downward directions.-Inasmuch as the drum comprises seven rings each one quarter inch of thecylindrical surface of the drum might be said to be divided-into sevenparts which will consist of rises and/or depressions depending upon thepermutation combination of the step engaged at the time by springs |26.Figs. l-A and l-B show these rises and depressions, the black divisionsindicating that a contact |21 is closed and the white divisionsindicating that a contact |21 is opened. i

it is generally desired that the power supply for operating themeasuring and translating mecha- 'nism at the reservoir be located at acentral ofice, the pointv of observation, .and-therefore the actuatingor control impulses are transmitted rom the central ofdce shown in Fig.2. In Fig. 2 reference is made to motor for operating a driving plate202 of a friction clutch. A synchro@ nizing drum 203 is fixedly mountedon one end of shaft 204 and on the other end is xedly mounted a drivenplate 205 of the friction clutch. Drum 203, which is constituted of tworings inculated from each other and coaxially arranged on shaft 204, isnormally held stationary by a pivoted latching member 206 controlled bya clutch magnet 201, the operating circuit of which extends over a pairof normally opened contacts 208. The timing contacts 208 may becontrolled by a clock 209 and arranged to operate at any desiredpredetermined intervals. The closing of contacts 208 will operate clutchmagnet 201 and permit the driven plate 205 torotate drum 203. One of therings of drum 203, that is, the'righthand ring, has on its periphery tenrises and ten depressions alternately arranged to close and opencontacts 2|0 ten times in rapid succession, during a single revolutionof the drum. The last depression whereat the contacts 2|0 are closed, is-approximately three times the length of any one of the other ninedepressions, which are of equal length. This arrangement of rises anddepressions, as will be hereinafter described, causes nine short currentimpulses and one long current impulse to be transmitted to themechanisms at both the centralomce and the reservoir during eachrevolution of drum 203. The other of the rings of'drum-203, that is thelefthand ring, has on its periphery one long riser and one depressionhaving a length equal to three unit lengths of .depressions of theright-hand ring, the three-unit length depression beginning at the samepoint or time as the beginning of the tenth depression on the right-handring. Fig. 2-A shows the relative positions of the rises and depressionson the rightand left-hand rings.

Immediately after the start of rotation of timing impulse device 203,brush 2|0 drops into the first depression and closes a current fromgrounded battery 2|4, over contact 2|0, through vthe winding of rotarymagnet 2|2 of selector switch 2|5, the request line |33, through theWinding of rotary magnet |3| of selector switch |28, normally closedcontact of relay |34 to ground. The iirst short impulse operates magnets2|2 and |3| to rotate wipers |28, 2|6 and 2|1 of their respectiveselector switches |28 and 2|5 to their respective associated iirstterminals. Brush 2|0' then engages its first riser and the operatingcircuit for the rotary magnets is opened. Brush 2|0' then passes on tothe second ldepression and again the operating circuits for the rotarymagnets is closed to move the wipers |29, 2|6 and 2|1 to theirrespectively associated second terminals. This operation continuesduring `the revolution of drum 203 until the tenth depression is engagedby brush 2|0. When the brush 2| 0' engages its tenth depression, thebrush 2||' engages the depression on the left-hand ring and twoadditional circuits are closed, one extending over the request line |33through the winding of relay |34 and release magnet |32, in series, ofselector switch |38 to the tenth terminal of selector switch |20, wiper|29 to ground, and the other from grounded battery 2 I4, contact 2| I,the ofi-normal contact of switch 2|5 through the winding of releasemagnet 2|3 of selector switch 2 I 5 to ground. The rst-rnentlonedcircuit of the two additional circuits operates relay |34 and releasesmagnet |32 whereby ground at the armature and contact of the relay istransferred from the operating circuit for rotary magnet |3| to alocking circuit for release magnet j, |32 and the wiper |29 isconsequently returned to normal in one operation. The second-mentionedcircuit of the two additional circuits operates release magnet 2|3 tocause the wipers 2| 6 and 2|1 to also return to normal in one operationand open the oil-normal contact.

'I'he sending drum |2| at the reservoir having been positioned by iioat|03 to close a combination of contacts |21 corresponding to the heightof water in the reservoir, causes to be transmit- 'ted over signalingline |30, during the time that of relays 2|0 and 2|9, in series, togrounded bat` tery 220. Relays'2l8 and 2|9 operate. Relay 2|8 operatesmomentarily in order to release any of the electromagnets or relays 22|,221, inclusive,

which may happen to be in an operated condilarmature and contact ofrelay 228. Relay 2|9 in operating closes at its right-hand armature andcontact,` a circuit for operating lamp 229, which when lighted indicatesthat a measurement is being transmitted from the reservoir and themechanisms at both the central oice and the reservoir are operating.When wiper |29 engages its associated second terminal, a circuit isprepared from ground, wiper |29, contact 21 that is connected to thesecond terminal, signaling line |30, wiper 2|1 and its associated secondterminal, through the winding of relay 22|, to grounded battery. If thecontact |21 that is connected to the second terminal of switch |28 isclosed in the position in which drum |2| is set at the time, relay 22|will operate, but if the particular contact |21 is not closed, relay 22|will not operate. If relay 22| operates, it will close a locking circuitfor itself extending over its left-hand armature and contact to groundat the armature and contact of relay 2|8. Further steps of thesynchronized selector switches |28 and 2|5will test the rest of contacts|21 at the reservoir and relays 222 to 221, inclusive, will operate ornot operate depending on the position. of their re spectively associatedsending contact |21. When wiper |29 engages its tenth terminal, releasemagnet |32 operates rand locks in its operated', position to restorewiper |29 to its normal position as hereinbefore described. VTherestoration of wiper |29 to its normal position releases the olfnormallever |36 and pivoted stop bar |35 to thereby release drum |2| for thenext change in Water level in the reservoir. When wiper 2|6 engages itsassociated tenth terminal, it will apply grounded battery 230 to thewinding of relay 228. Relay V228 operates and thereby releases relay 2|9causing lamp 229 to be extinguished. Selector switch 2| 5 is restored tonormal by the operation of release magnet 2|3 as hereinbefore described.

The operation of the system has now reached the point where the positionof drum |2| has been transmitted to the relays 22| to 221. Relays 22| to221 may be operated to form one hundred and twenty-eight diierentpermutated combinations. By' increasing the number of rings on drum |2|and the number of relays in the group now comprising relays 22| to 221 agreater number of combinations may be had a1- though in the systemherein described a hundred combinations are sumcient to transmitmeasurements of one step or foot to one hundred steps or feet. Theoperation of relays 22| to 2,21 closes indicator circuits extending fromgrounded battery 230, over parallel impedance paths closed at theright-hand armatures and contacts of the operated relays 22| to 221,conductor 239 through the rotatable coil 40|,to ground. 'I'he coil 40|is positioned in the magnetic neld produced by the magnet ofgalvanometer 402 and is subject to rtation in either direction under theinuence of the current received over conductor 239. The value ofthecurrent received over conductor 239 depends on the number of resistances23| to 231 that may be included in the operating circuit for coil 40|.Inv this connection the resistances 23| to 231 may be adjusted to allowdifferent currents to ow and the combined current of any of the pathsincluding their respective resistances,

that may be closed by the relays 22| to 221, serves. to rotate coll 40|in either direction to thereby operate the pointer 403 suiliciently torotate a translator drum 404 to a position corresponding tothe currentcondition produced by the combination of operated relays 22| to 221. Forexample the resistances 23| to 231 may be adjusted to allow thefollowing current to ow, the values of the resistances, of course,depending upon the voltages used:

Resistance 231:.001 ampere Resistance 232:.002 ampere Resistance233:.004 ampere Resistance 234:.008 ampere Resistance 235:.016 ampere-Resistancev 236=.032 ampere Resistance 237:.064 ampere If thecombination for zero feet at the reservoir is present on the relays 22|to 221 none of them will be operated and the pointer 403 will cause drum404 to rotate until its zero position is in contact with brush 420. Ifone foot is to be in- The means for operating or rotating drum 404` iscontrolled by pointer 40| which in rotating in either direction underthe iniiuence of coil 40| engages either of two contact members 405 or406 which are insulatedly extended through a gear member 401 having atoothed section extending over a portion only of the periphery. Thetoothed section'is in engagement with the worm gear 408 which is xedlymounted on the free end of the driving shaft 409 of motor 4|0. The motoris operable in either direction, depending on whether the point 403engages one or the other contact member 405 or 406. The' circuit ofcontact member 405 is traceable from one side of the power supplythrough the motor winding -(not shown) conductor 4| pointer 403, contactmember 405, slip ring 4|2, and its associated brush, through the motorwinding to the other side of the power supply. The circuit of contactmember 406 is the same as L,that of contact member 405 except that thepointer 403 extends in circuit over the contact member 406, slip ring4|3, and its associated brush through the motor winding, the current inone of the circuits just described causing the motor to rotate in theopposite direction of that due to the current in the other circuit. Sliprings 4|2 and 4|3 are insulated and xedly mounted on shaft 4|4 which isrotated in either direction by motor 4|0 through the joint action `ofworm gear 405 and gear 401. On the free end of shaft 4| 4 is flXedlymounted a gear 4|5 which engages a pinion 4|6. The speed ratio of gear4| 5 to pinion 4| 6 is assumed herein to be 1 to 2,.

`but inasmuch as gear 4|5 rotates only through the same distance as gearmember 401, that is about one half revolution, at the most, pinion 4|6will be able to rotate one complete revolution. Pinion 4|6 is flxedlymounted on shaft 4|1 to which is xedly mounted a jockey wheel 4| 8 and adrum 404.- The rotation of gear 415 through a half revolution is,therefore, capable of rotating the jockey wheel 4|8 and `drum 404through one hundred steps, the centering of the drum 404 on any one ofits one hundred steps being provided by means of pivoted centeringjockey 4|9.

Drum 404 is constituted of .fifteen coaxlally arranged insulated ringsthere being provided five rings, foreach character of a three characternumber of units, tens and hundreds. Each ring, like those of drum |2|,has a number of risers and depressions at its periphery shown developedin Fig. 5. In engagement with each ring of drum 404 is a brush, thebrushes being aligned in a plane that is tangent to the drum. Therelative positions of the risers and depressions taken across the drumat section line A-A of Fig. 5, is shown in Fig. -A. In engageablerelation with the fifteen brushes for drum 405 is a group of fifteentranslating contacts 42 I. The brushes '420 respectively engage contacts42| in various permuta'ted combinations depending on the position ofrest assumed by translator drum 404 under the control of the currentreceived over conductor 239. The closing of any brush with itsassociated contact closes a printer operating circuit from ground overone of the conductors 422 through the winding of its corresponding relayin group a, b or c to grounded battery at the outer right-hand armatureand contact of the relay 30|, which operated and locked when wiper 2|6made contact with the tenth terminal of selector switch 2I5 wherebyrelay 228 operated to connect grounded battery 240 to conductor 24|. Thestoring relay groups a, b and c, respectively, correspond to the threecharacters of any three character number, there being for each group,five relays to correspondto the combination of iive impulses of eachtelegraphic signal.

Relay 30| in operating locks' in a circuit extending to grounded batteryover its inner right-hand armature and contact, and, as stated above,connects at its outer right-hand armature, grounded battery to thewindings of each of the relays of the a, b and c groups, shown Ain Fig.3. However, only those relays of groups a, b and c will be operated thathave the opposite side of their windings connected over conductors 422to contacts 42| that are in engagement with brushes L20 because of theposition into which drum 404 is rotated to correspond to the height ofwater in the reservoir. Relay 30| in operating, also connects groundedbattery at its left-hand armature and contact to a circuit comprisingthree parallel paths, the first, through the winding of control relay302 to ground at the right-hand armature and contact of relay 303;second, through the winding of control relay 303 to the second, fourthand sixth contacts connected in multiple on switch bank d-B; and third,through the winding of stepping magnet 304 to ground left-hand armatureand contact, the second contacts of switch banks d-5, d-4, d-3, d-2, andd-I and their respective wipers through the vwindings ofcorrespondingselector magnets of printer e to ground. 'Ihe one or more operatedselector magnets are now prepared to print the rst character of thethree character number which indicates the height of water in thereservoir. The presence of the wiper Aof selector switch bank d-Bl onits second terminal will operate relay 303 thereby releasing relay 302and stepping magnet 304. 'Ihe armature of relay 302 will nowl fall back,but the relay being of-the slow-release type, this will take a certaintime. When relay 302 is restored to normal, stepping magnet 304 becomes.reenergized and thereby causes the printing of the rst character storedon selector magnets of printer e and the stepping of the wipers onswitch banks d--l to d/-B to their respective third terminals. When thewipers engage their third terminals on selector switch d, the circuitsprepared over the left-hand armatures and contacts of the operatedrelays of group b will be closed to ground through the windings of thecorresponding selector magnets of printer e; the stepping magnetv 304releases when relay 302 operates for the second time and slow releaserelay 303 begins to release. The complete release of relay 303 againcauses stepping magnet 304 to operate to thereby step the wipers ofselector switch d to the fourth terminals, and cause the selectormagnets of printer e to operate in accordance with the`operated relaysof group cp The third character of the three character number which isstored in the selector magnets of printer e is recorded in the mannerdescribed above. Thus selector switch d will step six times to operate;the selector magnets in accordance with battery connections to itsswitch banks on the fifth terminal returning the printer carriage; onthe sixth terminal feeding the paper on the printer; and on the seventhterminal giving the figures shift insuring that the printer is in thefigures position. On the eighth termnal relay 30| will beshort-circuited by a path extending over conductor 306 to ground on thewiper of switch bank d-B and will therefore release because itsoperating circuit has been opened by the previous release of relay 228.The release of relay 30| closes the operating circuit of release magnet301 which operates to release the selector switch d Which'like selectorswitches t28 and 2|5 is of the type which is restored to normal in oneoperation.

Thus each position of drum 404 may be recorded on printer e. Forinstance, if drum 43d is in its twentieth position or what might betermed step No.` 20, relays a--2 and @-3 and 1f-5 of group a, relaysb-|, b-2 and b-5 of group b and relays c-2, c-3 and c-5 of group c willbe operated and locked. When the wipers on selector switch banks d--5,:1 -4, d-3, d-Z, and d-i engage their respectively associated secondterminals, the selector magnets 4, 3 and i of printer e operate to printthe character ii. When the wipers rotate to their respectivelyassociated third terminals, the operated relays of group b causeselector magnets 5, 4 and of the printer to operate and thereby printthe character 2. When the wipers rotate to their respectively associatedfourth terminals, the operated relays of the `c groups cause selectormagnets 4, 3 and i Vto operate and thereby print the character 0.

The printer suitably adapted fo'r use in thel system herein describedmay be of the type disclosed in United States Patent 1,565,165, grantedto E. E. Kleinschmidt on December 8, 1935. Itlshould be understood,however, that other types of printers may be used.

What is claimed is: Y

1. A system for indicating measured quantities of a changeable masscomprising means for translating each of the measurements of saidquantities into a combination of electrical current impulses, a. secondmeans for translating said combination of electrical current impulsesinto a plurality of combinations of electrical current impu1ses, and arecording device responsive to said plurality of combinations forgiving, whenever desired, a permanent record in quantitative terms, ofthe changed mass.

2. An indicating system for measuring changeable quantities comprising aplurality of electrical contacts, a movable member cooperating therewithto open and close said contacts in combinations in accordance with thechanges in said mass, a signaling circuit connected to said contacts, a'request circuit, timing means for alternately energizing anddeenergizing said request circuit, i'lrst switching-means responsive tosaid'alternate energization and vdeenergization `of said request circuitand arranged to operate through a series of steps to thereby transmitover said signaling .circuit combinations of current impulsesrespectively corresponding to the combinations of said open and-closedcontacts, second switching means simultaneously responsive with'saidfirst switching means to the alternate energization and deenergizationof said request circuit and arranged to operate through a series ofsteps corresponding to the series of steps of said first switchingmeans, a plurality of electromagnets selectively responsive to eachcombination of impulses received over said second switching means,translating means responsive to the selectively operated electromagnetsfor translating each of said combinations of impulses into a telegraphiccode, and a recording device 4responsive to said telegraphic code forgiving a quantitative indication of -the changed quantity.

3. An indicating system according to claim 2, Wherein, said recordingdevice comprises a teletypewriter and said translating means is adaptedfor translating each combination set up on said electromagnets into agroup of combinations of current impulses representing a telegraphiccode suitable to operate said teletypew'riter to thereby produce in aquantitative term of one or more digits a printed record of the changedmass,

4. An indicating system comprising, a plurality of electromagnetsoperable in response to incoming signaling impulses in differentcombinations, a circuit comprising a plurality of paths for producing acontrol current of a strength n depending on the combination of saidpaths set up by said electromagnets, operating means responsive to thetotal current -received over said closed paths to operate acorresponding distance, a contact device adapted to be rotated to anyone of a' plurality of positionsunder the control of said operatingmeans, and including a plurality of contact means operable intocorresponding diierent combinations, a plurality of circuit meansconnected to said 4contact means for converting each contact combinationinto a plurality. of simultaneous current combinations representing atelegraphic code, printermeans adapted to 'be connected to saidplurality of circuit means for recording a printed lcharacter for eachof said converted combinations.

5. An indicating system for remote recording j 'said sending contacts',a line circuit 'between said sending contacts andsaidlcentral oce,stepby-step switching means responsive to a signal from said centraloice for causing to be transmitted over said line circuit from saidcontacts to said central omce current impulses, a plurality ofelectromagnets at said central cnice corresponding in number to saidcontacts and responsiveto said current impulses, a second contactcontrolling -device arranged to rotate to one of a plurality ofpositions depending on the combination of said electromagnets respondingto said current impulses and comprising a plurality of translatingcontacts and a ring of operating segments for each of said contacts,said latter rings having dilerent numbers of segments and the contactsand rings being arranged in groups. groups of relay circuit meanscontrolled by each of the positions of said groups of translatingcontacts for converting by means of said groups of rings thecombinations set up on said electro-v magnets into groups ofcombinations of telegraph impulses, and a printer responsive to each ofsaid groups of combinations of telegraph impulses for recording a.character. v

6. An indicating system for remote recording of measurements of avarying quantity, such as the height of level of a liquid supply at areservoir comprising a measuring member responsiveto variations in saidquantity, a first cam member rotatable into a plurality of positionscorresponding in number to the steps between the minimum and maximumvalues of said quantity, driving means connected between said measuringmember and said cam member, a plurality of sending contacts operable bysaid rst cam member in diierent combinations in all of said positions;circuit paths respectively controlled by said sending contacts, a signalcircuit connected in common to said paths, a rst switching device forconnecting each of said paths in con- ,secutive `order with said signalcircuit, a stepping circuit for controlling the operation of said irstswitching device, a distant recording station,

timing means at .saidA distant station for-alternately energizing anddeenergizing said step- 4ping circuitl a second switching device locatedat said distant station and simultaneously cntrolled by said steppingcircuit, other circuit paths connected to said signal circuit insequential order through said second switching device, a plurality ofelectromagnets respectively connected in said other paths andcorresponding in number to` said plurality of sending contacts, parallelpaths 'of different resistancesincluding operating contacts on saidelectromagnets, a meter connected to said parallel paths for operationinto diierent indicating positions in accordance with the combinedresistance of said paths, a second cam member rotatable into a pluralityof positions corresponding to the positions of said meter, driving meansfor said second cam member controlled by said meter, and a plurality oftranslating contacts operable by said second cam member inv diierentcombinations, 'a plurality of storing relay means connected to saidtranslating `contacts, a telegraph 65 printer, a third switching devicecontrolled byv said second switching device to connect said stor- A 'ingrelay means in successive groups to said' printer for recording of acharacter in accordance with the set-up of each connected group 70 ofstoring relays by saidtranslating contacts.

7. An indicating system for remote recording of measurements of avarying quantity, such -as a changing' water level, which comprises asaid quantity, a rotatable cam member, driving means for rotating saiddrum in accordance with the operation of said measuring member, lockingmeans for centering said cam member in definite positions, apluraflvityjf sending contacts operable in different combinations bysaid cam member, a request circuit, an answer circuit, control meansautomatically operated at intervals for transmitting over said requestcircuit a series of control impulses, first switching means responsiveto said control impulses for connecting each of said sending contactsin'turn to said answer circuit, second switching means simultaneouslyresponsive with the first switching means to the control impulses, aplurality of electromagnets corresponding in number to said sendingcontacts, said first and said second switching means being jointlyeiective to operate one or more of said electromagnets in accordancewith the operated sending contacts, an indicator circuit comprising. aplurality of different resistive paths closed by said electromagnets inoperated positions, an indicator responsive to the accumulated currentsof one or more resistive paths in said indicator circuit to be operatedinto a plurality of diierent positions, a second cam member arranged tobe rotated into different positions under control of said indicator, aplurality of translating contacts arranged to be operated in variouscombinations by said second cam member depending on -the position ofsaid second cam member, a plurality of groups of relay means connectedto said translating contacts,.each group being arranged to operate invarious combinations in response to the operated translating contacts, atelegraph printer adapted to be connected to each of said groups ofrelay means for translating the combinations set up on said relay meansinto a plurality of printed characters.

8. Apparatus for recording in the form of printed characters variationsin a liquid level comprising a measuring member responsive to saidvariations, a rotatable sending device controlled by said member andarranged to move into any one of a plurality of positions, a pluralityof sending contacts arranged to open and close in a plurality ofcombinations, one for each position of said rotatable device, arotatable timing device for transmitting at intervals of time controlimpulses, a plurality of automatically operated stepping switchesconnected to be simultaneously responsive to said control impulses, aplurality of electromagnets connected to successive terminals of one ofsaid stepping switches and said plurality of sending contacts beingconnected to successive terminals of another of said stepping switches,said electromagnets being operable into different combinations inaccordance with the combinations set up on said sending contacts duringthe operation of said stepping switches, a galvanometer 'having arotatable coil and an indicator attached thereto, a circuit includingsaid coil and having a plurality of paths arranged to be closed by theoperation of said electromagnets, said coil being eiiective to move saidindicator a distance depending upon the combination of closed paths, arotatable translating device arranged to move under control of saidindicator into any one of a plurality of positions and including aplurality of translating contacts arranged to open and close indifferent combinations in the different positions of said translatingdevice, a plurality of groups of storing relay means connected tocorresponding ones of said translating contacts and arranged to beoperated thereby in various combinations, control relay means responsiveto one of said stepping switches, printer switching means controlled bysaid control relay means, and a telegraph printer responsive to eachgroup of said storing relay means in turn through said printer switchingmeans to produce a record of the liquid level in printed characters, onefor each group of storing relay means.

- GEORGE A. Loom.

